En organisation, en röst? - Hur upplever olika målgruppers intresseorganisationer sin påverkan på den kommunala policyprocessen

This paper tries to contribute to the research on governance in Swedish municipalities. The investigation compares the relationship between Civil Society Organizations representing two different social groups and the municipality. Schneider & Ingram´s theory on social construction of target groups and the concepts of dependents and advantaged is used as an analytical tool. It is hence a comparative study focusing on CSOs representing the dependents (the homeless) and the advantaged (small businessmen). Do the CSOs perceive their influence on the local municipality similarly? The study is based on interviews with CSO personnel with long experience of municipality interaction. The findings show that small business organizations have a favorable view of their possibility to influence polices. In short, their CSOs and the municipality enjoy working together; they feel they sit in the same boat steering together towards the same direction. By contrast, the organizations representing the homeless are either treated as an unwelcome nuisance and hence have minimal influence or have no ambition to influence the municipality. There is agreement on the goal; eradication of homelessness, but CSO input towards this achievement is regarded as inexpert contribution. To continue above analogy, there is a boat wanting to head to shore but the crew is alternatively deaf, blind or mute